Step-by-step elevator.



E. B. BARRETT.

STEP-BY-STEP ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION TILED $213.20, 1914.

Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

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E. B. BARRETT.

STEP-BY-STEP ELEVATOR.

AIPLIOATION FILED rnn.2o,1o14.

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Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

Y Wu 5 awn WI 4 6 INVENTOI? 151.5. BARRETT W A TTOR/VEY ELI B. BARRETT, OF TRENTON, TEXAS.

STEP-BY-STEP ELEVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

Application filed February 20, 1914. Serial No. 819,950.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELI B. BARRETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Trenton, in the county of Fannin and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Step-by-Step Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful step-by-step elevator.

Its object is broadly stated to provide means for ascending or descending from one floor of a building to another, which means will be particularly adapted to economize space, and which will be less expensive to install than either a stairway or an elevator.

The object of the invention more specifically stated is to mount within a suitable shaft an apparatus comprising vertically elongated guides and a pair of counter-balanced steps adapted to travel vertically upon said guides and tending to move upwardly due to the counter-balancing weights, a series of supports for the steps being mounted upon the guides at regular spaced intervals, so that a person may ascend or descend upon said steps, by causing them to undergo a step-by-step displacement in each position of which they will be upheld by one of said supports.

A. further object of the invention is to provide means by which a person on a lower floor may subject the steps to a downward displacement from an upper floor preparatory to ascending, and also to provide means for accomplishing the reverse result.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described that will be strong, durable, efficient and simple and comparatively inexpensive to produce, also one in which the various parts will not be likely to get out of working order.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention has relation to certain. novel features of construction and operation, an example of which is described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front view of my step-bystep elevator, the walls of the shaft containing the same being sectionally shown. Fig. 2 is a view of the same in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a transverse horizontal sectional view, the section being taken upon the line .r-ae of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken upon the line 1 g of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail front view of one of the steps employed in my invention showing the same disposed in its lowermost limiting position,

and showing the means employed to hold said step in the specified position. Fig. 6

is a vertical sectional view of the holding means, the section being taken upon the line .e-2 of Fig. 5.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate similar parts in all the figures, the numeral 1 denotes the walls of a shaft, with in which my step by step elevator is installed, constituting a means of ascent or descent between an upper and a lower floor, respectively designated by the numerals 2 and 3. Within said shaft and adjacent to each of two opposite walls, thereof are mounted three vertically elongated guides,

the outer two of which are denoted by the numeral and the middle one by the numeral 5. The upper and lower extremities of the guides 4: and 5 are respectively confrom top to bottom of the guide and occupying substantially one-third of its width. The result secured by giving the guides the specified construction is hereinafter made clear.

Each group comprised by the center member 5 and the two outer members 4: serve to support a step 10 and 1.0 and to guide said step in a vertical displacement within the shaft. The two steps 10 and 10 are so proportioned that when disposed adjacent they will substantially till the space between the two groups of guides. They will be spaced sufficiently that either one when undergoing vertical displacement may at the same time oscillate slightly to or from the other step without contacting with said step. The necessity for such an oscillation of the steps as they move vertically is given hereinafter. To the under surface of each step adjacent to its extremities, there are respectively secured two brackets, each comprising a triangular portion 11 and a channel forming portion 12. The portions 12 of the two s id brackets respectively enga e the two adjacent guides at, as is clearly i lustrated in Fig. 3. The channel portions 12 at their lower extremities are contiguous with the outside and inside faces of the engaged beams 4-, and diverge slightly from said faces toward their upper ends. Thus it is made possible for each step to undergo a certain angular oscillatory movement centered about the lower ends of the members 12, and serving to shift the steps to or from the correlated group of guides. Each step 10 and 10 is provided at its free edge with a metallic riser 13, having its upper edge portion flanged and riveted or otherwise secured to the correlated step. To further strengthen this construction, a pair of diagonal braces 14 are extended between each step and the correlated riser. An elongated strip 15 of wood or metal is secured to each step along its edge which is nearest adjacent to the correlated guides, this strip serving a purpose hereinafter explained. To the under surface of each step, there is secured a pair of brackets 16 which respectively project between the correlated center guides 5 and side guides 4-, and which have their extremities oppositely bent as indicated at 17. The parts 17 of said brackets are adapted to rest upon ratchet teeth 18, of which a series is formed upon each guide 4 upon the outside face thereof, extending between the floors 2 and 3 and spaced apart in each of the two groups of guides a unit distance equal to that between two ordinary steps. The teeth 18 upon the guides l of one group will. be staggered in their relation to those of the other. Upon the guides 4 which support the step 10, the two uppermost and the two lowermost teeth 18 of each series are spaced apart onehalf the distance between the other teeth of the series, this difference in the spacing of the ratchet teeth being clearly shown in Fig. 1. The teeth 18 have flat top faces upon which the members 17 will rest to support the steps in any given position, and have beveled outside faces upon which the members 17 will slide when the correlated step is being shifted up or down.

Between the members 16, there is mounted upon the under side of each step a pair of small slide bearings 19, which slidably receive parallel lateral portions of a frame 20 formed of heavy wire, said portions being extended at each side of the correlated guides 5 and being connected across the outside face thereof, and being furthermore connected beneath the step as indicated at 20. Adjacent to the outside face of each guide 5, a pair of rollers 21 are mounted upon each frame 20, and are adapted to travel vertically upon the adjacent guide at each side of the channel 9, when the correlated step is vertically displaced. Between the rollers 21 there is attached to each frame 20, the lower extremity of a cord 23, which cord after passing over a sheave 24; mounted upon the frame 6 carries suspended from its other extremity a weight 25 heavier than the correlated step, and tending therefore to fall, subjecting said step to an upward di placement. Upon the under surface of each step a bracket 26 is mounted, which bracket has the nature of a rod parallel and acent to the portion 20 of the correlated frame 20, said rod being arched slightly downward from the step. to which its extremities are secured. Upon each bracket 26, there is pivotally mounted a double bell-crank, each member of the same comprising an arm 27 having its free end engaging behind the correlated member 20 and integral arms 28, at the juncture of which is attached a down hanging cord 29. Normally the cords 29 will form coils upon the floor of the shaft in which my apparatus is mounted, and when the steps are in their uppermost position, the lower ends of the cords 29 will hang in easy reach of a person upon the lower floor. Normally the two double bell-cranks may retain the position illustrated in the drawings, the integral arms 28 being elevated, this position of said bell-cranks being maintained by springs 30, each having one of its ex remities attached to the underside of the correlated steps, and having its other end secured to the portion 20' of the correlated frame 20. The tendency to out ward displacement impressed upon the frames 20 by the springs 30 is communicated to the bell-cranks through the portions 20 of said frames. The springs 30 are sup plemented by springs 30 coiled upon the brackets 26, and having their extremities acting upwardly upon the portions 28 of the bell-cranks.

Adjacent to the lower extremities of the guides 5, there are mounted upon said guides latch members 31 hinged at their up per extremities, and eachhaving a horizontal under surface anda beveled surface facing the shaft. Each latch member is adapted to swing about its hinged upper end into or out of a recess 32 formed in the correlated guide, and within each recess there is made fast one extremity of a coiled spring having its other extremity secured to the latch memher and holding the same displaced from said recess as is illustrated clearly in 6. To the lower end of each latch member there is secured a cord 3a which passes to he rear of the correlated beam 5 through an aperture in the bottom portion of the recess 32, said cord being carried over a pulley 35 mounted adjacent to said aperture upon the rear face of the guide 5 and being 5 reach from the upper floor 2.

tal plane flush with either the lower or the The use and operation of my above described invention w1ll now be made clear. When the apparatus is not muse, the two steps 10 and 10 will lie in the same horizonupper floor, according as the apparatus was last used for ascending or descending. When the steps are flush with the lower floor, their upward displacement will be prevented by the stops 31, which will project above the strips 15 as shown at the right hand side in Fig. 1, and will resist the tendency of the weights 25 to elevate the steps. When the two steps are flush with the upper floor, their further ulpward displacement is prevented by stop b ocks 37 mounted fast upon the opposite faces of the two guides 5, with which blocks, the strips 15 will come into contact. A person wishing to ascend from one floorto the other by means of my step-by-step elevator will in the first place assume a position with one foot resting upon each step, downward motion of the steps under the weight of the person being prevented by the engagement of the members a 17 with the lowermost ratchet teeth 18. The person standing upon the steps will now exert a slight lateral pressure with his foot upon the latch members 31 engaging the step 10. Said member having been displaced into its correlated recess 32, the step l0 will be free to move upwardly, and the person using my apparatus will allow said step to undergo a certain upward motion by transferring the preponderance of his weight to the step 10. The step 1O will be allowed to move upwardly only one-half of the unit distance which will be suflicient to engage the members 17 with the teeth 18 just above those which it originally engaged. After having transferred the preponderance of his weight to the step 10, the person wishing to ascend will displace the other latch member 31 into its recess, and will permit the step 10 to ascend a unit distance, or that between two of the correlated teeth 18. The person ascending will now transfer his weight to the step 10 and will allow the step 10 to ascend until the members 17 engage the next teeth of the series. By thus placing his weight first upon one step and then the other, the person usingthe apparatus may continue to ascend until the two steps are brought flush with the upper floor. The upward travel of the steps will be a straight line motion during those intervals when the members 17 have contact with the vertical outside faces of the correlated guides. As the members 17 travel up the beveled faces of the teeth 18, the correlated steps will undergo an an gular oscillatory motion, since they will be shifted toward the correlated group of guides and in doing so will swing about the lower ends of the members 12. It is to permit this oscillatory motion that the members 12 are formed with their portions which engage the inside and outside faces of the correlated guides diverging slightly from the lower to the upper ends of said members.

A person desiring to use my apparatus for descending from one floor to another will stand upon the two steps with one foot resting upon each. By allowing a preponderance of his weight to rest upon the step 10, the person using the apparatus may employ the foot resting upon the step 10 to exert a slight lateral pressure against the strip 15 carried by said step, thus subjecting the step to an oscillatory angular movement that will shift the members 17 away from the correlated guides clear of the teeth 18 supporting said members. By restinghis weight upon the step 10, the person using my apparatus will now descend with said step half of a unit distance until the members 17 engage the next teeth 18. The person descending will now with one foot exert a slight lateral pressure against the strip 15 carried by the step 10 oscillating said step sulliciently to disengage the members 17 from the teeth supporting said members. This having been accomplished, the person descending will rest suilicient weight upon the step 10 to shift the same downwardly a unit distance, which will bring it half a unit distance below the step 10. The person desccndingywill now oscillate the step 10 and subsequently rest sufficient weight upon the same to displace it downwardly a unit distance. Thus the stepby-step descent will be continued until the lower floor is reached.

\Vhen a person wishing to descend finds that the steps are in their lowermost limiting position, he will exert a slight pull upon the adjacent extremities of the cords 3%, thereby drawing the members 81 into the correlated recesses, and leaving the steps free to ascend due to the counter-balancing action of the weights 25.

lVhen the steps are flush with a certain floor and the person upon the floor below wishes to actuate the steps downwardly, said person will grasp one of the cords 2E) and will pull upon the same. The tension thus exerted will subject the double bell-crank comprised by the parts 27 and 28 to a rocking movement, which movement due to the engagement between the parts 2'! and the frame 20 will subject the correlated step to a displacement bringing it contiguous with the adjacent group of guides. This displacement of the step will shift the memhers I? clear of the series of teeth 18, so

that a continued pull upon the cord 29. Will displace the step downwardly untilthe person Wishing to ascend can grasp the same and manually bring it flush with the floor. In a similar manner the other step Will noW "e displaced downwardly bringing both to a position such that they may be used to ascend to the floor above.

The invention is presented as including all such modifications and changes as properly come Within the scope of the device as claimed.

ll hat I claim is:

In a device of the character described, the combination With vertically elongated guide members, forming two opposite groups, each including a central and tWo outside members, of a series of teeth formed upon each outside guide member and extended from the lower to the upper portion thereof, a step correlated With each group of guide members, said steps being adapted to travel vertically and adjacently, a pair of brackets secured to each step and slidably engaging the correlated outside guide memhere, a pair of brackets carried by each step serving to support the same in its various positions, and themselves supported in said positions by the teeth of the correlated outside guide members, and a Weight having connection with each step counterbalancing the same. 1

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses,

ELI B. BARRETT.

lVitnesses:

W. P. SUB tarsus, E. L. /VILsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

